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sept. 21, 192e. 1,600,591

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A TTORNEYJ` lll Patented Sept. 2l, 1926.

UNITED STATES Alimitan EDWARD N. JOHNSTON, 0F THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

GAME-SCORE RECKONER.

Application led May 26,

Vhile this invention is described with special reference to the car-d game known as auction bridge, it will readily be appreciated that the principles involved are applicable to counters for games other than auction bridge. The special object of the invention is to provide a simple adjustable device which may be set, after the bidding is settled foi` each hand, so that the points for tricks, honors, et cetera, corresponding to any particular trump, may be read direct from the reckoner, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a face view of a device embodying one form of my invention in which the disks are set to indicate a re-doubled bid of two diamonds.

Fig. 2 is a face view of the disk-member of the device.

Fig. 3 isa transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a face view of one form of the device in which the backlate 6 is extended to form a base for a pa of several sheets of paper, 26, used for recording the scores indicated by the score reckoner.

Fig. 5 is a side-elevation of the device as otherwise illustrated in Fig. 4.

. In the drawings annexed, 5 desi nates a face-plate; 6, a back-plate secure to the face-plate by eyelets, or other suitable fasteners, 7; and 8, a disk confined between the aforesaidplates and rotatively mounted upon a central pivot 9, which may be c onveniently in the form of an eyelet similar to the eyelets 7. Inasmuch as it is desirable that the disk shall haveonly limited rotation with res ect to the face and back plates, I provi e a stop-pin 10, which works in an arcuate recess, 11, formed in the disk, this recess being approximately a quarter circle in length tothereby limitft-he disk to that degree of movement. To facilitate rotating the disk 8, the edge thereof is serrated for about.- 120 of the circumference, as indicated in Figure 2.

At a convenient place, between the Vtwo main lates or cards, I mount a supplemental dis c 12, which is merely for the purpose of registering the amount of the bid, the numbers indicating the amounts of all possible bids being printed on the disk and being ada ted to be exposed singly at a hole 13, in t e face-plate.

vscored by opponent if declarant fails.

1922. Serial No. 563,908.

' The face-plate' is provided with apertures and with slots, which in this particular the device herein illustrated, the apertures y are circular and the slots are radial, and spaced equaldistances apart. One of the slots, 14, is for indicating the trump; a'nother, 15, for indicating the value of the odd tricks; another, 16, for indicating the value of the honors; and the remaining one, 17, for indicating the value of tricks in excess of the number contracted to be taken, in those cases where the bid is doubled orredoubled. Above the slot, 17 is an aperture, 18, for indicating the value of points scored for fulfilling the contract in those cases where the bid is doubled or redoubled. -Below the honor-slot is an aperture, 19, for indicating the points scored by an opponent for each undertrick in case the declarant is unsuccessful.

Above the trump-slot., 14, is printed the word Trump Alongside of this slot are printed the words Doubled and Redoubled, so positioned as to follow immediately after the corresponding suit symbols when the rotating disk is set to indicate a doubled orredoubled trump, in the manner hereinafter set forth. Along one edge of the trick-slot, 15, is printed, beginning at the inner end thereof, numerals from 1 to 7, seven tricks being the utmost number of odd tricks that can be made. Along one edge of the honor-slot is printed a series of lines and words telling the honor score in suits, while along the other edge of this slot, lines and words are printed to indicate the value of no-trump honors. Along one edge of the remaining slot, 17 is printed a series of numerals from 1 to 6,-six tricks being the utmost that can be taken in excess of contract. Contiguous to the apertures 18 and 19, are printed words in. dicating that the values showing in them indicate, respectively,'the points scored by declarant for fulfilling contract if the bid be doubled or redoubled, and the points The disk 8, is divided by imaginary radial lines into sectors, which in the particular form of the device herein described are four in number; a trump sector, A, a trick sector, B, an honor sector, C, and an excess-trick sector, D. It'will be readily appreciated that changes in the rules may necessitate changes in the number, size and relative l0- cations of these sectors.4 In the device herein described" the suit sector is divided b imaginary lines into 15 smaller sectorial d1- visions, in each of which is graphically illustrated a suit symbol, except three of the sectorial divisions, in which latter the letters N. T. are printed for a no-trump bid. The first three divisions are for clubs, the second three for diamonds, the third three for hearts, the fourth set or spades, and the last set of three for no-trump, as indicated in the drawing. Itis obvious that if the se quence of value of the trump should be changed by a change of the rules, necessary changes'may be made in the arrangement of the symbols in the sector A and the corresponding numbers in the other sectors. The symbols in each set are arranged at different distances from the center of the disk, so that by rotating the disk eachone of. the outer symbols may be brought to view immediately under the word Trump printed above the trump-slot, 14, the intermediate series opposite the word Doubled, and the innermost series opposite the word Redoubled, as shown in Fig. 1.

The trick sector, B, is divided by imaginary lines, in a manner similar to the trump sector A. In the first three divisions, the iigures indicate the value of tricks in the club suit, the first division, 20, indicating their value when not doubled; the second division, 21, when doubled; and the third division, 22, when redoubled. The remaining divisions of this sector B, are similarly filled in with figures for the remaining suits. Associated with -each radial row of figures is a short row, 23, consisting of the numerals 50 and 100 to indicate the amount to be added to declarants Score when a slam or a little slam is made. It is obvious that, if desired, these numbers may be placed on the face-plate 5, instead of on the rotative disk, since they do not change with a change of the trump.

The honor sector, C, is divided by imaginary lines into the same number of small sectorial divisions and in each of the divisions are Placed figures which indicate the honor scores in the various suits, it being unnecessary to explain in detail the arrangement of these figures, as the arrangement will be obvious from an inspection of the drawing.

Near the circumference of this honor sector are five sets, 24, of three numbers each, corresponding to the four suits and to n0- trump. These numbers indicate the points scored for each undertrick by an opponent in case the declarant is unsuccessful. According to the present rules, in the case of a simple bid, 50 is scored; for a doubled bid, 100; for a redoubled bid, 200, These numbers appear in the aperture 19.

In the excess-trick sector, D, a similar number of divisions is made by imaginary lines, but five of the divisions are left blank, since the figures in the divisions of this sector do not come into use unless the bid is challenged by doubling or redoubling. The blank divisions are so placed that they will come opposite the excess-trick slot, 17, whenever there is a simple bid; and, when the bid is doubled or redoubled, one or the other of the rows of figures in the other divisions will be brought to View. One of the filled-in divisions is for a doubled trump and the adjacent one is for a redoubled trump, and they are so positioned with respect to the trump sector that the division having the higher order of figures will be exposed when the trump-is redoubled, as shown in Fig. 1, and the adjacent division having the lower order of figures will come to View in the slot when the trump is simply doubled. When the trump is neither doubled or redoubled no figures will appear in the slot 17.

The aperture 18, in which appear the points scored for fulfilling contract, if the bid be doubled, or redoubled, is so positioned with respect to the excess-trick slot, 17, that, except for a no-trump bid, the numbers used to designate the value of one excess trick serve also to designate the points scored for fulfilling contract. To indicate this feature in the case of a doubled or redoubled, notrump bid, additional numbers, 25, are suitably placed in the trump-sector. When the trump is redoubled, 100 appears in the aperture 18, as indicated in Fig. 1; when doubled, 50 appears. When the trump is neither doubled or redoubled no figures will appear in the aperture 18.

It is believed that the detailed manner of using this apparatus will be obvious from the foregoing when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. In Fig. 1 .the appliance is set for playing a hand in which a two-diamond bid has been redoubled, in which case each odd trick will be worth 28 to the bidders, with 100 additional points if the contracty be fulfilled; and each trick in loo excess of contract will be worth 100 points;

the specific construction illustrated and described, as the spirit of the invention maybe carried out in a number of obvious ways.

I claim:

1. In a yscore reckoner for card games, a face-plate having four radial slots marked ofiI to indicate respectively the value-of the trump, odd tricks, honors, and excess tricks; and a rotatively adjustable disk associated with said face-plate and having its face divided into four sectors, one a' trump sector, another an odd'trick sector, another an honor sector, and the remaining one an excess-trick sector, said sectors belng' provided with symbols and figures adapted to indicate the value of odd tricks, honors and excess tricks for any particular bid.

2. In a score reckoner for card games, a

face-plate provided with 'a plurality of a er* tures, one of which is a radial trump s ot; and a movable member associated therewith l and provided with a pluralit of radial se- -tures contributing to the score, substantially as set forth.

3. In a score reckoner for card games, a stationary member provided with indicia indicating the numbergof odd tricks possible, the number and character of honors possible, and the number ofexcess tricks possible;- and a movablev member cooperating therewith and carrying symbols and numbers indicating the trump and the possible 1 values of odd tricks, honors and excess tricks, substantially as set forth.

4. Ina score reckoner for card games, a face-plate provided with a plurality of slots and apertures, one of which is a trump slot and a movable member associated therewith, and provided with a series of trump symbols adapted vto be brouglit to view in said trump slot, and also provided with a. series of figures adapted to be brought to view in ciated therewith and provided with a plurality of radial series of trump symbols adapted to be brou ht to view in said trumpslot and also provi ed with a series of figures adapted to be brought to view in the other slots and apertures to indicate the values of the tricks and other features contributing to the score, substantially as set forth.

6. In a score reckoner for card games, a stationary member provided with indicia indicating the number of odd tricks possible, the number and character of honors possible, and the number of excess tricks possible; and a movable member cooperating therewith and carrying symbols and numbers indicating the possible values of odd tricks, honors and excess tricks; value of fulfilling contract, and points scored by an opponent in case the declarant is unsuccessi'ul, substantially as set forth.

7. A score` reckoner for card games em'- bodying two relatively-movable members and indicia carried-thereby for indicating the character ofthe trump, `indicia associated therewith for indicating the points scored by either or both opponents whether or not the contract be fulfilled, and additional means for indicating the amount bid.

. 8. In a score reckoner for card ames, two relatively-movable members, one ing provided with a vslot and words indicatin the character of the trump and the other eing provided with a series of suit symbols positioned to be brought to a point adjacent the words on the face-plate so as to be read in connection therewith, the number and arrangement `of the symbols being such as to indicate every character of bid within'the limits of the game, and additional indicia associated therewith for indicatin the points won by each opponent whether t e contract be fulfilled or not.

9. In a card game reckoner, a pair of relatively-movable members, one of them being provided with a window-slot and adjacent words indicating the character of the trump and the other being provided with five series of trump symbols, the symbols in each series having a stepped arrangement so as to be brought singly into view in the windowslot at different points along the same, and additional vindicia associated with said members for indicating the points scored by either opponent.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD N. JOHNSTON. 

